Setting up a password for your wireless network is important for a number of reasons. Having neighbors on your wireless network gives them a free ride and can slow down your Internet performance. You want to minimize the chances of someone hacking into your computer. What’s more, you can be liable if nearby Web surfers download illegal content, like pirated movies or child pornography, from your Internet connection.

Scary stuff, right?

Fortunately, securing a wireless network isn’t difficult, and you only need to do it once.

The easiest way is to insert the installation disc that shipped with your wireless router (or download the software from the manufacturer's website) and follow the step-by-step instructions on your PC or Mac. In most cases, there's also a paper or digital manual that will help you along.

In a nutshell, securing your wireless network involves first giving it a name (such as MARYHOME or BAKERFAMILY) and then creating a good password to access the Internet from any device. When setting up this password, you will likely be prompted to select from one of three encryption types: WPA2 (recommended, as it's the most secure), WPA (second best) and WEP (the least secure of all the encryption formats, but better than nothing). Pick a password that isn't easy to guess and be sure to write it down.

If you can't find the software to install for your wireless router, you can search online for information on setting up a protected network within the Windows operating system itself. It's a bit complicated, but there are many walk-throughs on how to do this. Using your favorite search engine, type in the name of your operating system (for example, "Windows 7"), followed by "how to protect wireless network" (without quotes) to find instructions.